Mr. David McGill:

We have had one or two discussions with the Department with regard to the powers of our sister organisation, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC. One of the powers being considered for the CCPC is that it be included as part of the communications (retention of data) Bill. This would give it access to retain telecommunications data, and proving communication can form a significant part of white-collar and criminal investigations. Another power the CCPC has that we are considering is with regard to the Garda being able to bring in non-gardaí to question people detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. This is a significant power for the Garda because it allows it to bring in experts to the questioning of someone who is a technical or financial expert. We also discussed gaining access to suspicious transaction reports under money-laundering legislation so it can be considered as part of other investigations. There are also powers with regard to the intimidation of officers. They are subject to ongoing discussions.